****Somebody Loves You, Mr. Hatch

by Eileen Spinelli

illustrated by Paul Yalowitz

My other Picture Book Picks have mainly been funny and clever, so I
thought that this week I’d pick a heart-warming one for a change.
Of course, part of the reason I love this book is that my own father and
brothers are named Mr. Hatch. But even without that connection, you’ll
find this is a beautiful story. (And everyone named Hatch on my list
simply HAS to read it!)

Mr. Hatch is a quiet man. He doesn’t smile as he walks every
day to the shoelace factory where he eats alone at lunchtime. After
work, he buys a newspaper and a chicken wing, reads the paper, takes a
shower, and goes to bed early.

One Valentine’s Day, Mr. Hatch gets a package. Inside is a big
box of candy with the message “Somebody Loves You.” Suddenly, everything
changes for Mr. Hatch. He starts smiling. He shares the candy
at work. He notices other people, and does helpful things.
Before long, he’s the most popular man in the neighborhood.

Then the postman comes back with the awful news that the package was
delivered by mistake. Mr. Hatch goes back to his old ways, concluding
that no one loves him after all. Do you think his new friends will
let him get away with that?